


Missed Milestones

by RottenMint



Series: Sex Pistols Summer Collection [2]
Category: Sex Pistols | Love Pistols (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Mpreg, Pregnancy, Wakaba don't need no man, but it's mild very mild, ft. Nishikiori, it just happens many times, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 18:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19301674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RottenMint/pseuds/RottenMint
Summary: Several vignettes of Wakaba and his time with Suzume, before Seth came to get them.





	Missed Milestones

**Author's Note:**

> The idea of a baby... I like it. But real babies are too messy for me. Most of these fics will, as a result, be about babies, or have babies in them. 
> 
> Please enjoy, and constructive criticism is always welcome.

“You know, you’re gonna have to leave the bed eventually. I can’t take care of you forever.” Nishikiori jokes, setting a full plate down on Wakaba’s nightstand. Wakaba rolls his eyes and buries his face in the nearest pillow. “Wakaba,” Nishikiori tries again, more serious this time.

“I know.” He replies, eyeing the plate. It’s some raw vegetables and apple slices. Nishikiori places a bowl next to the plate, which is full of rice.

“Sorry, this is all you had left in the fridge… Maybe you could do some groceries tomorrow? I can come, if you want.” Wakaba shrugs. Nishikiori sighs. He runs a hand through Wakaba’s hair, a gentle, repetitive motion.

“It’s getting late,” he says, “I need to go. I know you’re upset- about- about everything, but you’ve gotta get out of this slump sometime.”

“I know.” Is all Wakaba can manage past the lump in his throat.

“Goodnight.” Nishikiori stands, double checking the plates before he leaves the room. Wakaba listens for the sound of the apartment door closing. Once it’s shut, the oppressive silence of the apartament settles in. Until Seth, he’d always enjoyed the peace that came with returning home after a day at school and work. Now the apartment feels empty and unusual, not to mention cold. After being left to die in the desert, Wakaba didn’t think he’d ever miss the sweet warmth of Seth’s home.

The thought of the sun and soft sheets make Wakaba shiver. He pulls the blankets closer around himself. Part of his heart will never, ever forgive Seth for what happened- the kidnapping, endangering himself and their baby- but more than that, Wakaba misses him. Now he’s alone, with no idea when Seth will come get him, if he’ll come get him at all.

“Will you come before our child is born?” Wakaba asks the darkness.

There’s no answer.

\---

Wakaba settles onto the couch with a groan. “My back is killing me.” Nishikiori laughs and settles next to him, slinging an arm around Wakaba’s shoulders. He pulls Wakaba closer, who relaxes against his side.

“I could arrange for a prenatal massage, if you want,” Nishikiori says.

“No, no, that’s alright. You’ve done plenty for me already.” Wakaba reassures. Nishikiori hums in response.

The two remain lazing on the couch. It’s been several months since Wakaba’s return to Japan, and still there’s been no word from Seth. Nishikiori has stepped in to what should be Seth’s place. He runs errands, helps Wakaba keep track of his appointments, marks down pregnancy milestones. It simultaneously helps Wakaba keep his mind off Seth and makes him more upset that it _isn't_ Seth. It’s a vicious cycle.

Luckily, the baby has a habit of becoming a distraction right when everything starts to feel like too much. In the past, morning sickness. Now, back pain and sore feet are the main event. Wakaba runs a hand over his stomach.

“... Nishikiori.”

“Mm?”

“The baby’s kicking.” He can’t keep the excitement from his voice. Nishikiori jerks, pulling his arm from behind Wakaba’s head. Wakaba keeps his hand spread over the side of his stomach where he can feel the rhythmic press of a tiny foot against his palm. Nishikiori sits with his hands hovering over the swell of Wakaba’s stomach.

“Can- can I feel?”

“Yeah, of course.” Wakaba moves his hand, and Nishikiori’s take its place. This feels more special than feeling it on his own. Wakaba can still feel it from the inside, and Nishikiori is feeling it from the outside. Heat builds behind Wakaba’s eyes.

“This is amazing,” Nishikiori breathes. Wakaba nods tightly.

“Yeah.”

“Oh, I’ll get the baby journal!” He leaves Wakaba on the couch and heads for the bedroom. Wakaba covers his mouth with his hand once Nishikiori’s out of the room. Seth should be the one here right now, feeling his baby’s first movements.

He sighs out a wobbly breath and tries to compose himself before Nishikiori comes back.

\---

Wakaba doesn’t think he’s ever sweat this much. When he made the decision to have female genitalia, he didn’t think he’d use them for having a baby. _To think I did it for orgasms_ , Wakaba think drily, _is this pain the price of my pleasure?_

He turns his attention back to the swaddled bat in his arms. Suzume is so, so small, and so cute. Wakaba’s parents never kept pictures of him as a baby, and he’s never known another bat. Nothing could’ve prepared him for this. His eyes start to water and he rubs at them half-heartedly. This child is the most beautiful thing in Wakaba’s life.

The door opening startles him. Wakaba shifts, pulling the bottle from Suzume’s mouth. He squeaks in protest, much to the delight of whoever is coming in.

“Wakaba!” Nishikiori sidles past the nurse and into the room. His tie is missing and his shirt jacket is slung over his arm. Sweat is beading along his hairline. He sits in the chair next to the bed and leans over as far as he can, staring at the still-crying Suzume.

“I’m so sorry,” Nishikiori blurts, “I got your text but I couldn’t get out of that meeting since I’m not the- since I’m not actually…” his words fade out and he goes silent. Wakaba’s ears ring. In the joy of Suzume’s birth and the waves of indescribable pain, Wakaba forgot all about Seth. The only noises in the room are the beep of the monitor Wakaba’s hooked up to and Suzume’s crying. After a few seconds, Wakaba goes back to feeding Suzume.

“It’s alright.” He says, bitter. “At least you came.”

Nishikiori clears his throat awkwardly. “What’s his name?”

“Suzume.”

“Suzume? But he’s-”

“Seth picked it, for if we had a boy.” _For if he was winged_ , Wakaba does not say.

\---

“Okay, come on, Suzume,” Wakaba encourages. “Come to mama.” Suzume is currently huddled on top of a bookshelf, peering down at Wakaba who is waiting with his hands outstretched. At six weeks old, Suzume is more than ready to learn to fly. The difficult part of teaching a pup to fly is that it’s more of a two person job.

On his own, Wakaba had sat Suzume on the couch and let him watch as Wakaba took on his soul’s form and flew around the room. He practiced takeoffs and landings, even doing a few tricks, which Suzume loved. Now he has to wait and hope that Suzume will try to copy him.

Wakaba’s own parents hadn’t been great, but they’d been very particular about teaching him to fly. Once his father had died, though, he’d had no more use or reason to continue the practice. Showing off felt incredible. He hopes that Suzume will learn faster than he did, that the two will be able to bond over flying together in the apartment.

“If you get really good I bet we can make Nishikiori rent out somewhere bigger for us.” Wakaba says to Suzume. He knows Suzume is too young to understand bribery, but hey, a guy can hope. He’d prefer to take Suzume flying outside, where he can stretch his wings and explore what he can do with his abilities, but it’s not safe. Wakaba spares a brief though to how open Seth’s house had been, how much bigger it was than his own. How Suzume would be able to fly there.

As always, Suzume has perfect timing. Before Wakaba can get any more down on himself, Suzume leaps off the bookshelf. Wakaba dives to catch him, but there’s no need- Suzume flaps his little wings and gains some air.

“Yes!” Wakaba cries, turning to track Suzume’s movements. He flits around the room for a bit before he falters. Wakaba gasps and lurches towards him, managing to catch Suzume with gentle hands as he begins to fall. Heart hammering in his chest, Wakaba checks over his baby. There’s no sign of injury, just exhaustion.

He breathes a sigh of relief, cradling Suzume to his breast.

“Your papa will be so proud of you.”

\---

“Wakaba! Wakaba, come here!” Nishikiori calls. Wakaba’s heart is in his throat as he runs into the living room.

“What, is something wrong with-” he stops in his tracks. Perched in Nishikiori’s lap is a little boy. His hair is blond and his eyes are a light shade of amber. Wakaba approaches and crouches down in front of his son.

“Suzume,” he says, reaching out with one hand. He caresses the baby’s cheek and Suzume giggles in delight, reaching up to curl small, pudgy fingers around Wakaba’s wrist. He babbles at Wakaba, looking up between him and Nishikiori.

“We were playing,” Nishikiori whispers, eyes locked on Suzume, “and he changed. Look at him, so much like Seth. His eyes are like yours, though.”

“What? His eyes- those are Seth’s too, you idiot.” Wakaba takes Suzume from him, planting a kiss on the baby’s forehead.

“The look in them, I mean. There’s determination there, and strength, like yours. He may look like Seth, but that’s your kid alright.” Suzume looks at Nishikiori, then back to Wakaba. He reaches up to grab at the few scraggly hairs on Wakaba’s chin.

“Great, you’re curious, now with thumbs.” Wakaba sighs, catching Suzume’s hand before he can give a second tug.

“Time to get the baby gates out,” Nishikiori grins.

\---

The bowl of banana mush is placed on Suzume’s highchair tray. He stares at it intently, then looks at his mother.

“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Wakaba soothes when Suzume begins to fuss. He flops down in the chair next to him with a clean spoon. “Think you’re going to like bananas already, huh?” He scoops up some of the bananas and lifts the spoon to Suzume’s mouth. He takes them, chewing eagerly.

Then, he spits them out all over Wakaba’s shirt. Wakaba sighs. 

“Yeah, your mama doesn’t like bananas very much either.” Now that Suzume’s old enough, Wakaba’s started giving him solid foods. Fruits are the ones he’s most excited to try, and Wakaba is more than happy to indulge him. They are fruit bats, after all. Bananas and honeydew melon seem to be the only ones he’s he doesn’t like so far.

Wakaba gets up, trying to figure out the best way to take his shirt off without getting regurgitated banana in his hair.

“Mama.” Wakaba’s fingers freeze at the hem of his shirt. He turns back to Suzume, mouth agape.

“What?”

“Mama!” Suzume repeats, excited, “mama!” Wakaba sits back down.

“Your first word.” He raises a shaking hand to his mouth. “You called me mama.”

“Mama, mama, mama,” he repeats, reaching for Wakaba. Now that he knows it gets Wakaba’s attention, he seems even more excited. Wakaba goes to take Suzume out of his highchair, then remembers- he’s still covered in banana.

“Okay, let me get changed, and then we can go see uncle Nishikiori and show him you can talk.”

“Nishori,” Suzume says, drawing out the ‘i’ sound at the end. Wakaba smiles at him. Distantly, he wonders how long it will be before Suzume says papa.

\---

Nishikiori sighs for the millionth time that afternoon.

“Suzume,” he tries, holding out his arms, “come give your uncle a hug!” Suzume doesn’t move. If anything, he burrows closer to Wakaba’s chest, whimpering. Wakaba rubs his back in an attempt to soothe him.

“Should we take a break?” Wakaba asks. They’ve been trying to get Suzume to take some steps on his own for a couple of hours already. He’ll walk holding someone’s hands, but refuses to take any without them.

Nishikiori gets up and resettles himself on the floor beside Wakaba. “He’s like a kid learning to ride a bike without training wheels.” He says.

“Except we can’t get rid of the training wheels.” Wakaba replies, resigned.

“He’ll get there,” Nishikiori runs a finger along Suzume’s cheek, now that he’s started to peek out from his mother’ shirt. “I’ve read that sometimes it can take seventeen months before babies can walk. I don’t think you need to worry.”

“I guess so.”

Suzume keeps one hand fisted in Wakaba’s shirt, but he’s turned fully to have a sort of conversation with Nishikiori- well, more like at Nishikiori. It’s a mess of baby-talk, yet Nishikiori responds like he’s speaking to a work colleague, with complete and utter seriousness.

Wakaba smiles.

“Can I get you something to drink? Or a snack? I have apples in the fridge you can share with Suzume.”

“Sure.” Wakaba removes Suzume’s fingers from the folds of his clothes, passing him to Nishikiori. He stands and heads for the kitchen, when Suzume cries out.

“Mama! Ma!” Suzume struggles out of Nishikiori’s arms until he’s standing on the floor, one hand clinging to Nishikiori’s fingers. Wakaba sucks in a breath and crouches down.

“Yes, Suzume?”

“Mama!” Suzume makes grabby motions at him, pouting.

“I’m right here, Suzume. Come on.” Wakaba holds out his hands. Nishikiori is deathly still as they wait.

Suzume lets go of his fingers. He wobbles across the floor, little face set in determination, until he half-falls into Wakaba’s open arms. Wakaba laughs, standing and spinning Suzume around into the air.

“You did it, Suzume! You walked!” Nishikiori pulls them both into a tight hug, laughing. Suzume joins in with his high, delighted giggles.

“I’m so proud of you,” Wakaba murmurs, kissing Suzume’s cheek.

\---

The sun is high in the sky, giving off a delicious warmth that’s perfect for a picnic. Wakaba is relieved to have a bit of a break from Suzume. He loves his son, but it’s been a while since Nishikiori has had the time to babysit. Besides, Norio seems nice enough and Shima vouched for him, so. Wakaba thinks he’s earned some relaxation time.

“So, Shima, has Shimako shown her face-” he cuts himself off as a shadow swoops overhead, a bold, confident cry filling the air.

Dread trickles into Wakaba’s stomach as he jumps to his feet. In the back of his mind, Wakaba hears Shima calling for him. There’s no time.

 _Why now?_ He wonders, sprinting in the direction Norio had gone. _Why now?_

For the first time since Seth made him leave, Wakaba feels true fear.

He has to find Suzume.

**Author's Note:**

> Wakaba deserved better, I'm telling you! Also Suzume is the cutest.


End file.
